Gary Flakes
@flako1959
North Yorkshire birdwatcher posting photos of birds in context and a bit of other stuff, hopefully.
A second successive Clouded Yellow butterfly year and still turning up at local sites around York. Several flying yesterday and being regularly buzzed by tiny Brown Argus butterflies. Lovely to see. @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
A fresh looking Dark Green Fritillary was the exception amongst the worn & faded fritillaries seen yesterday in the Yorkshire Dales on the moors above Grassington. @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
Good to see reasonable numbers of Yorkshire Dales Scotch Argus flying yesterday despite a stiff breeze blowing. @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
Two recent walks on Strensall Common led to, amongst other things, a close encounter with a young Cuckoo, a juv Yellow Wagtail, Tree Pipits, a Marbled White butterfly and 3 Clouded Yellows in a field full of flowers. If only I had a camera with me! @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Wharram Quarry has to be one of the best places in North Yorkshire to catch up with Marbled White butterflies. @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
A little disappointed with my phonescoped pics of the @nosterfieldnr.bsky.social Caspian Tern on Friday afternoon; only my second UK bird. I have great excuse, it was a very hot day! @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Didn't connect with the birds I had hoped for at Fen Bog, North York Moors, but still plenty to see on a breezy day. Highlights were the number of Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary on the wing and a couple of Golden-ringed Dragonfly.
I’d almost given up hope of seeing York’s colony of the UK’s smallest butterfly, the Small Blue, but the warmer weather has seen them emerge in good numbers now their food plant, kidney vetch, is in full flower. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcyorkshire.bsky.social
Less than an hour’s drive from home, I would never have caught up with this Wood Warbler had it not been blasting out its incredible coin spinning song. Easily lost in the leafy canopy, rarely seen in Yorkshire woodlands nowadays.
Reassuring to find a single Burnt Tip Orchid and a good number of Fly Orchids making an appearance at a North Yorkshire site today. I hope they continue to show in years to come although it does feel like they’re just hanging on in there. @ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
Almost gave up on my search for Pearl-bordered Fritillaries today, but patience and perseverance paid off at a cold, blowy and cloudy North York Moors site today when the sun came out for just a minute or two. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcyorkshire.bsky.social
One of two Dingy Skippers seen at Colton Bank on the outskirts of York. Highly localised distribution and has seriously declined in recent years, so lovely to catch up with these small butterflies close to home. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcyorkshire.bsky.social
One of my favourite benches was further enhanced yesterday by a pair of Dippers gathering food for their unseen young further upstream on The Duncombe Park Estate, Helmsley. A great spot to sit and ponder. @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Thrilled (and always relieved) to find a pair of North Yorkshire Turtle Doves today, feeding on recently sown grass seed and a day earlier than last year. Hope they have a successful breeding season.
Swilly’s star turns were hard to find at RSPB St Aidan’s today. Briefly caught up with a pair towards the end of my visit, but unfortunately viewed directly into the sun. Dozens of Swifts, a flyover Bittern & a male Bearded Tit provided a decent support act.
It’s that time of year again, they seem to come around quicker & quicker. A day out in the NYM to catch up with the diminutive Duke of Burgundy & Green Hairstreak butterflies. A close encounter with a Cuckoo & singing Redstarts made for a lovely, but cold, day. @savebutterflies.bsky.social
Didn’t think I’d need the scope today for a relaxed walk down @ldvnnr.bsky.social Wheldrake Ings. I was wrong. I’d have appreciated a closer view of this Common Crane. The Law of Sod. @nybirdnews.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Pied Flycatchers are back on territory and singing in Plantation Wood along The Strid in North Yorkshire. Lovely to see (and hear) them before the trees return to full leaf. @nybirdnews.bsky.social @northyorksbirds.bsky.social
As parents know, sometimes you just have to ignore the kids and let them get on with it. Dipper and one of its offspring on the River Wharfe today. @nybirdnews.bsky.social
My first singing & displaying Tree Pipit of the year today. Distant, in a very quiet corner of Yearsley Moor wood. @yorkbirding.bsky.social
A surprise and a treat to catch up with a flock of thirty plus Bramblings at Duncombe Park yesterday. Up to then, Cock o’the Norths had managed to avoid me all winter. @nybirdnews.bsky.social @northyorksbirds.bsky.social
This male Ring Ouzel, in upper Nidderdale yesterday, was attracting the attention of some of its near neighbours. An excellent half hour spent watching with hardly a soul around.
A nice surprise finding an Orange Tip butterfly roosting in the garden. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcyorkshire.bsky.social
A wander around Nidderdale yesterday resulted in several new birds for the year including Swallow, Common Sandpiper, Wheatear, Ring Ouzel & Pied Flycatcher. Doesn’t get much better than that in early April. #birdsincontext @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Lovely to catch up with a Little Owl (or two) on a local walk today. Incredible camouflage but their whereabouts given away by the alarm calls caused by a Red Kite flying overhead. @nybirdnews.bsky.social @northyorksbirds.bsky.social
A White Nun on a grey drizzly Friday in February at Studley Royal, Ripon, will brighten up anyone’s day. Aren’t drake Smew brilliant! @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Juvenile Iceland Gull, a biscuity beauty, at Roundhay Park, Leeds, today. @wendyredrobin.bsky.social had her camera with her, which saved me from taking a memory card full of blurry shots. #Gulls #BirdsInContext
Lovely views of the Slavonian Grebe from Garganey Hide @ldvnnr.bsky.social NDC. @wendyredrobin.bsky.social should have a decent photo of a bird that usually keeps its distance. My camera is back at HQ! @yorkbirding.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social